Winfield Cyclone (AC15 clone)

Winnie Thomas did some work for me on a 70's Fender Champ a while back, and I'd always heard great things about his hand built amps. Well, I've decided I need an AC15 (or clone), and it turns out his Cyclone head fits the bill perfectly (I'll be running it through a 1x12 with a Celestion Blue).




http://www.winfieldamps.com/


I'm in the process of downsizing my gear big time... I'll be selling several guitars, amps & effects in the next few weeks to bring down my arsenal to a more modest level. Sadly, this even includes some Guild acoustics, but I cannot justify or even maintain the 7 I've owned.

In addition to adding this amp & 1x12, I'm having a custom built Telecaster Jr. (mahogany body, 1 P90, rosewood board) built by Creston Lea.

http://www.crestonguitars.com/index.php

I can't tell ya all how excited I am to acquire these new pieces of gear in the coming months despite the various other stuff I've painfully come to terms with sacrificing. In the end, this will be for the best.

Hi Michael and congratulations! Cool tolex: "... Purple haze all in my brain, Lately things just don't seem the same ..." The EF86 is something of a bring back of the 5879, a pentode (more like a power output tube) instead of the much more common dual-triode 12AX7 used in pre-amps. Gibson used the 5879 in its GA40 Les Pauls; if they weren't appreciated for their tone back in the day, they certainly are now. Coastie has a Celestion Blue ... nothing finer, nothing. Sorry about the herd melting down ... is the GA5 gonna get kicked to the curb :wink: Best, CJ

capnjuan said:

Hi Michael and congratulations! Cool tolex: "... Purple haze all in my brain, Lately things just don't seem the same ..." The EF86 is something of a bring back of the 5879, a pentode (more like a power output tube) instead of the much more common dual-triode 12AX7 used in pre-amps. Gibson used the 5879 in its GA40 Les Pauls; if they weren't appreciated for their tone back in the day, they certainly are now. Coastie has a Celestion Blue ... nothing finer, nothing. Sorry about the herd melting down ... is the GA5 gonna get kicked to the curb :wink: Best, CJ

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I've always wanted an AC15 or AC30, but unreliability kept me away.

With Winnie's amps, I really don't have that concern... he'll stand by 'em if I have issues. I may have tolex options... if I do, I may just go with something along the lines of blonde, but I totally agree that that color looks pretty cool even though I'm usually a plain jane type of guy.

No doubt, the GA5 is staying for the long haul... though it's 2006 counterpart will go, along with a '68 Fender Bassman, a Vox modeling amp & maybe a 2x12 cab. Just needed something else for potential small club use, and the AC15-type chime suits my electric style well.

That looks like a handy little package. What kind of speakers/cabinet are you planning on using with it?

Walter Broes said:

That looks like a handy little package. What kind of speakers/cabinet are you planning on using with it?

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95% sure I'm going with this cab (Avatar 1x12) loaded with a Celestion Blue (alnico):



Might go with a slightly darker (oxblood) grill cloth, but pretty sure this is the one.

The head weighs less than 15 lbs. so in keeping in line with that this cab is a fairly small 112 and it weighs around 30 lbs.... so this rig would be a piece of cake to drag out & about.

I have very fond memories of an AC15 "twin" that belonged to my dealer buddy and I used for recording. With that combo in mind, I'd be very tempted to go with a 2X10 cab - but that's just me.

Walter Broes said:

I have very fond memories of an AC15 "twin" that belonged to my dealer buddy and I used for recording. With that combo in mind, I'd be very tempted to go with a 2X10 cab - but that's just me.

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I hear ya, and I may shift to a 2x12 down the road... I don't think they make Celestion Blues in 10", though I know they make Celestion Gold 10" speakers now... so maybe a 2x10 is an option.

I want to ensure that I get that classic AC15 chime, which a Celestion Blue helps deliver in a big way, but I also like the idea of keeping the total package as compact as possible so long as I don't compromise tone!

Weber has their version of the Celestion Blues, and those come in 10". (and any version they have is a good deal cheaper than the Celestions!)

I've just always been more comfortable with multiple speaker setups I think, but it's probably just what you're used to. I think if that little amp is pretty much the AC15 circuit without the vib/trem, you'd have to try really hard to make it sound bad.

I'm a big fan of EF86 amps in general and especially the 2 x 12 AC15. Someday I'd like to pick up one of those modern "J.M.I." (UK) head versions, a configuration never offered by Vox in the old days. I have a vintage AC15 but I don't like to take it out of the house, it's heavy and practically irreplaceable. I got a good deal on it before the prices went through the roof.

Walter Broes said:

Weber has their version of the Celestion Blues, and those come in 10"...

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The Vintage model; from Weber's webpage: "For late 50's, early 60's amps using AlNiCo 10's where earlier breakup with lots of punch is desired. 10", 11oz AlNiCo plug magnet, 20 or 30 watts, 1-1/4" voice coil, straight cone. Warm, crunchy, early breakup, aggressive, loud, compressed at high volume." $95 + shipping (fitted below to a Gibson GA18).

I just went to the Winfield site to give them quick listen. Congrats on a scoring great sounding amp! It seems like all guitars sound great through the Vox circuitry.

My next amp will be definitely be a Vox or Vox-sounding amp. I played through one of the new Custom Classic AC-15s, and I was really impressed. I think it sounds so much better than a Fender Blues Jr.--nice presence and incredible touch. I may pick one up sometime, but it definitely would benefit from an upgraded speaker. I want to test drive one against one of the Brit-made TBXs from the 90s if I can find one.

I'm struggling on whether to go with a 2x12 or 1x12!

I probably will go with Celestions over the Weber Blues though. Sure, the Celestions are more expensive, and Weber makes great speakers, but they are different. To get that classic Vox Blue Alnico chime, Celestion set and continues to be the standard. I'm not going to compromise on this amp... so I may end up with a couple of Celestion Blues (15 watts each) or a single 1x12 Celestion Gold (50 watts). Either way promises to be tonal heaven, but I'm thinking the 1x12 will save me 20- 25 lbs. of cab weight!

I finally got one of these a few months ago (looks like the one pictured in the top of this thread, but mine has blonde tolex... I'll have to take/post photos at some point).

Anyway, I took it out a couple weeks ago, and was totally blown away by the tones. I played an Esquire through a Timmy overdrive pedal into the Cyclone & a 112 cab with a Celestion Blue. We played 7 or 8 tunes and I never touched the amp or Timmy once I dialed them in. All I did was adjust the tone/volume knobs on my guitar occasionally. Can't say enough great things about this amp. Oh, and I was playing with a semi loud drummer, but I had tons of room to turn up much louder... so this sucker is a LOUD 15 watts.

Hi Michael; found this link on another BB; does the Winnie come close to this Vox AC-15 demo vid? I've been following the 5879 and it's cousin the EF86 which the Vox has it one of its channels. Does the Winnie have switchable power too? John

Hey Cap'n, I'll have to check out that clip later & comment soon.

The Cyclone is a single channel amp with an EF86 pre-amp. Though, by tweaking the cut knob you might think it's 2 channels. I can confirm that when I run it through a 112 with a Celestion Blue, this amp can sound pretty Voxy. Played it out for the second time on Thursday night, and it once again sounded wonderful.

Hi Michael; the vid is more of a commerical for the Vox and it is what it is but I got the link from over on the Hoffman BB which is mostly strong scratch-builders and professional amp techs ... right: what am I doing there? and the answer is: 'those who sit and wait also serve ...'. Anyway several of the members there are working on EF86 designs; the same people who have been re-inventing the bassman/dual reverb/deluxe for 30 years are venturing where you have gone.

The Vox sounded pretty good but the take-away for me was the limitation on my own pc sound card and speakers; sometimes when they were changing settings or functions, the distinctions weren't that noticeable; giving them and the Vox the benefit of the doubt, I put it on my pc audio system but an interesting sound nevertheless. John